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Healthy Families Rotorua is eyeing marae gardens as a source for food for affordable, healthy school lunches.

Coordinator Mapihi Raharuhi says the group is picking up the Ka Pai kai programme from Tokoroa, where the community comes together to prepare lunches as a way to tackle what was seen as a problem of growing food insecurity.

It is looking for schools, kura and kohanga reo to trial the idea, as well as sourcing food from the city’s community gardens.

"Every marae in Rotorua just about has a maara but the kai is going to waste. Great to have the ability to have a garden and learn about putting kai in but we need to take the next step which is to use it and use it well," Ms Raharuhi says.

The Ka Pai Kai programme is also a way to build health literacy, encourage healthy school food policies and link local food producers to local people.